2003-04-30_PERMIT FILE - M2003030 (2)

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6.3.3. (12(b Soil composition and depth: Soils vary from absent to 2" in the grassy areas. Most soils under conifer canopies are less than 1" ahhough thick deposits ofpine-needle duff can reach to 6" deep locally under some trees. All soils in this area are acidic due to the conifer cover. All soil will be scraped from the proposed excavations and stored immediately uphill and adjacent to the excavation. Generally about 8" depth of soil and subsoil will be stockpiled as suitable for growth medium Additional subsoil will be stockpiled over the growth medium soil to prevent possible erosion or loss of soil. The visual difference in soils is appazent and during reclamation, we carefully return the soil is reverse order of storage so the topsoil becomes spread on the top as the last layer. We will continue to stockpile the burned and sterilized soil even though the organic material has been removed. We will mix it more with slightly deeper subsoils, however. In this manner, the cazbon is less likely to be blown or washed away and will become a beneficial nutrient for reseeding. The remaining material will be stockpiled immediately adjacent and uphill from the growth medium soils. Due to the nature of silicate deposits no mineral material is encountered which is detrimental to plant growth an the waste materials do not become problematic. Instead, the potassium and sodium feldspars and potassium micas which are decomposing aze releasing nutrients. The major difference as the deposits are penetrated is the absence of organic material the deeper one goes. Eventually, solid granite is also encountered. As long as the material is returned to the excavation in reverse order so the gravel becomes placed nearer the surface than the rock andhe subsoils and finally soils are returned to the surface, experience has shown re-growth is rapid. Grasses in particular do well. 6.3.3. (IZ{cl Overburden and waste rock: The pegmatite deposits largely lie within decomposing granite of the P>7ces Peak Batholith. Crystal cavities and cavity-bearing pegmatites can be encountered from the surface down and through in-place granite. Most cavities aze located within 15 feet of the surface. Once hazd rock is encountered, it is no longer productive to try to expose cavities and mining will cease. No mining is anticipated in hazd rock below 25 feet in depth. If decomposing granite lies on top of deep structures, it is possible, but unlikely an excavation will reach 40 feet deep. All overburden and waste rock is stockpiled to be used as backfill. 6.3.3. (,1~{dl Thickness and nature of deposits: Most ofthese pegmatite deposits are highly sporadic and unpredictable. The sites in this proposal have been discovered only through dedicated long-term prospecting efforts and represent what we believe to be sufficiently prolific to produce minerals of commercial value. Even so, production is highly speculative. Atypical site will have a single rock structure consisting of one or more pegmatite bodies running through Additionally, these structures can produce without any indication a few or many grape-fruit to water-melon sized miazolytic gas pockets which apparently exist without related rock structures. These in particular aze highly unpredictable and aze considered a bonus if discovered. Generally when excavating along any given structure, a number of these are encountered.